Did you eat vegetables growing up? Did you like them? How about now that you’re (presumably) an adult? I love vegetables and I loved eating them as a kid. Vegetables in my youth were crunchy, bright green, delicious. My mom and grandmother are such brilliant cooks and they always made sure we ate fresh and healthy food. In contrast, it was rather puzzling to stand in the lunch line at school and wonder what the hell that puke green, tasteless mash was on the plate. It was broccoli – and no one was the wiser, but then again we were all like… seven years old.

We eat vegetables and fruits regularly here at urb. I take that for granted until we go on week-long backpacking trips or I have to fast before surgery or medical procedures and then I begin to crave fresh produce and salivate at the sight of… green grass on the side of the trail. I have yet to meet a vegetable or fruit I refuse to eat. Pushing the limits would be durian (I’ve tasted durian fruit paste – very interesting) and bitter melon (my mom makes a terrific bitter melon stir fry which I love, except for the bitter melon – but I eat it because my mom’s cooking rocks).

This may come as a surprise to some, but I’ve never cooked with rhubarb before, until last week. I just remember reading about something rhubarb being poisonous (it’s the leaves, not the stalks) and so I avoided it for many many years and left it to others to slay the red cousin of celery. I’ve tasted rhubarb and strawberry muffins and rhubarb and strawberry pie (my days in Ithaca) and it was always an exercise for me to figure out what the rhubarb tasted like because it was never separate from the strawberries. Kind of like couples who have to do everything together and you really want to hang out with the one but the other is always there? Yeah.

rhubarb is showing up at our markets

Well, I was inspired to take the rhubarb plunge after seeing Aran’s beautiful creation earlier this month. Then I became downright antsy-in-the-pantsy after seeing this pudding and this cake on my favorite goto site for all things dessert and delish. But I had to slow down. Baby steps are good for someone like me sometimes – and sometimes a giant face plant is the way to go. I needed something simple to ease my introduction to rhubarb.

it’s like celery, but red and… fruity

It’s used as a fruit, but it is technically a vegetable. I am just gaga over richly colored produce and red really takes the cake for me. I scoured my resources looking for an easy recipe to use my rhubarb and my Fine Cooking library provided, as it always does.

i love sour cream in batters = moist

I used a recipe for cinnamon-rhubarb muffins as the rhubarb was the showcased fruit with nothing else to impose flavor-confusion for me. I avoid making muffins. [It’s probably because I don’t have decent muffin pans.] I have mini loaf pans and I love to just throw in that extra variable for added uncertainty in a recipe, you know?

mix until just combined

The pink and green colors are little gems in the mix. The batter is on the stiff side, so you’ll have to press it into the form you plan to bake in. I buttered and parchment-papered four mini loaf pans, but wound up using only three (doh! extra unnecessary dishes). For loaf pans, I like to place parchment that runs up the sides for ease of removal. Removal is a big issue for me because I have gutted a lot of otherwise delicious-looking baked goods from all manner of pans with all manner of cussing. Parchment is your friend.

sprinkle cinnamon-sugar topping over the loaves

I’ve read that when baking muffins at high altitudes, you don’t need to reduce the leavening agents as the muffins are small enough that the heat acts quickly before the leavening can take over. Since each loaf pan was approximately 4 times the volume of a muffin tin, I reduced the leavening by half – but you probably don’t need to if you are at or near sea-level.

a crusty, rustic top (crustic?)

The mini loaves smelled heavenly and tasted even better. I am quite taken with the tangy flavor of the rhubarb. It’s not as sweet as a strawberry (which is probably why they are always seen together in public). This muffin/bread is great for mornings, snacks, and even a modest dessert. I think you could definitely add another 1/2 cup of rhubarb to the mix and the bread would not suffer.

If using muffins, line the muffin tins with muffin papers or foils. If using mini loaf pans, butter the pans, line with parchment paper, butter the paper. Heat the oven to 400°F and set a rack in the middle of the oven. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together well. In a large bowl, blend together the sour cream, butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Toss in the rhubarb and fold gently to combine. Divide the batter into the muffin tins or the loaf pans and flatten the batter down into the corners. If making muffins, the batter should mound a little at the center. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together for the topping. Sprinkle over the muffins or the loaves. Bake muffins until golden brown (about 18-22 minutes) or until they pass the clean toothpick test. I baked my mini loaves for 36 minutes and used the toothpick test. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack for a few minutes. Serve warm. Makes 12 medium muffins or 3 mini loaf pans (about a 3-cup capacity per pan).

68 nibbles at “love your vegetables”

Over the weekend, my husband had a rhubarb and strawberry galette at one of our favorite pastry shops. On our way home he requested I make more rhubarb desserts – what lovely timing you have! These look delicious with their crusty tops. I will be making them soon.

OMG I’m so jealous. I have been WAITING and WAITING and CHECKING and CHECKING BACK for rhubarb in my local grocery stores. It’s the New England in my [Dad’s] blood that had me introduced to rhubarb as a young child… but what I would kill for a strawberry rhubarb pie right now. I plan to buy tons of it (rhubarb) this summer and freeze it so I can bake with it next fall/summer.

Looks YUMS Jen. I wish I hadn’t read it as I sit on a conference call, starving…

Ooh, I want to reach right out and grab a chunk of that crusty top….looks so delicious! Yep, rhubarb will be coming into the market here in Ithaca in another month or so…looking forward to it. :) Have you ever seen one of the plants growing? They can be enormous, like big shrubs. We plan to plant some at our new place.

Oh, those look so good! I’m on a huge baking kick, but I haven’t seen any rhubarb around Boston yet.

Also, yours is the only high-altitude blog I read and I love reading your tips about changes, even though they don’t apply to me in the least (I can see the ocean from my porch… MANY blocks away, but if I crane my neck and stand on my tip toes…). Maybe it’s my childhood fascination with the “high altitude preparation” on the back of the duncan hines boxes.

Thank you, thank you for a rhubarb recipe WITHOUT strawberries. I adore rhubarb and am pretty testy when it’s always paired with strawberries. My opinion only, but I don’t like the combo and think rhubarb is much better on its own. (This is a mild rant, suitable for public consumption. You should hear when I really get started!)

Favorite new word: “crustic”…absolutely most definitely delicious!
I passed on it at the store when the market guy said he was getting his crops next week…woot!! I’ll be off and running jamming and baking!

Growing up in New England rhubarb was always in our garden. I remember going into the garden with the sugar shaker in my hand, cutting off a stalk, rinsing it off under the garden hose….shake…crunch….shake….crunch.

Ahhh, I love rhubarb! We have a pretty large rhubarb bush in our back yard and constantly have dishes featuring it. I love it raw though with a little sugar. The leaves btw, apparently arent poisonous to rabbits, the dozens around my neighborhood are always eating them….

I love rhubarb, and it looks like little jewels inside that bread – beautiful! I’m one of those people who just ate everything growing up; I never understood why people wouldn’t like certain vegetables.

Lisa has the idea! I also remember going down to the unruly rhubarb patch and pulling up a stock – dip in sugar and eat! I can still eat pretty much a whole Mom rhubarb cake in a day….my very favorite. Welcome to the joys of rhubarb!

It wouldn’t be fair for me to say I have never cooked with rhubarb before! You know? I haven’t even seen it in this part of the world before! :(

While I have seen it a lot in the past year on food blogs, I have never had the smartness you possess to say it’s the cousin of celery! It is so apt! I too love product of vibrant colours! I remember you have a beetroot salad somehwere, I will give it a try when I see it in the market!

And I have always like loaf tins that have clean cut edges like yours. All 4 loaf tins of mine are those that are curved at the bottom edges, simply because they cost less than half of those that are beautiful like yours! Beats me why those I like (and those you own) can cost so much more!

Wow, I have tears in my eyes…I always walk past the rhubarb in the farmer’s market, it has never spoken to me…but the pictures of your loaves instantly brought me back to my Grandma’s garden in Northern California, with huge rhubarb plants, and her kitchen, with the smell (and taste!) of her rhubarb (without strawbery) pies. She’s been gone for 15 years, but the power of food memories is amazing.

Thanks for the memories, and the inspiration to try rhubarb on my own!

I love rhubarb (rabarbara in my language :), i think it’s a funny name♦ :)), my mom would put it in compotes when i was little … i haven’t eaten it in any form in years and i’ve been craving it for the past six months … i hope to see it soon, this bread of yours and some compote would be great together! Can’t wait to find it on our farmer’s market. :)

“Crustic?” That makes me laugh! My new favorite word: crustic. I am not sure *what* to do with rhubarb. When I was little, we used to grow it in our backyard, and my dad would eat it raw, dipped in granulated sugar, which just seemed disgusting. But this is the same guy who drank Sauerkraut Juice (yeah, such a thing exists, alas) when he felt a cold coming on, so anything he consumed was suspect.

But your post kind of made me want to try the Harlot Scarlet cousin of celery again…who knows? I liked that you didn’t cop out and combine it with strawberries, which everyone else seems to do. If you gotta hide the ingredient, it just doesn’t seem worth it. Guess Karen B. and I are on the same page there.

Just might give the old rhubarb another chance in my house, thanks to you.

This recipe looks wonderful, I have been waiting for a rhubarb-only show! Although I do love it paired with strawberries. Tart + sweet = yum! Also, I love your site, I appreciate your frankness. Is that a word?

Yummy! I miss the rhubarb we grew when I was a kid. Would plant some, but I’m the only one who will eat it. Love my family, but jeepers!…they need to eat more good stuff, especially veggies. Oh well, I was picky about veg & love them now.

Hi Jen,
About bittermelon-try slicing them in thin cirlces (the thinner, the crispier and the yummier), tossing in salt, and frying (doesn’t have to be deep fryer). One of my favorite snacks!! Keep the seeds in and you get a nice crunch as well.

He he! I’m just not that into rhubarb, I think it was because my mum had so much of it on the allotment(british community gardens) and it just seemed like something you had to try and add tons of sugar to in order to make it taste good. Your bread makes it look like little jewels tucked away in it and its making me think I should give it another try although its hard to imagine paying for it!

I’m pretty sure the amount of leaves you’d have to eat to have the oxalic acid poison would be so much that you’d never manage to get sick from them. Like a few pounds?

Last year was my first time cooking/baking woth rhubarb although I have been a fan for a long time. My best friend’s mom used to show up at our house with grocery bags full of it that came from her garden. I have a great whole wheat rhubarb coffee cake recipe. If only it were glutten free I would make it for our company this weekend.

Rhubarb is a wonderful vegetable. I’ve been thinking of making just a straight rhubarb pie instead of strawberry rhubarb, which is also good. I like to add orange zest to it. Gives it a mysterious zing.

I envy your ability to love vegetables. Except for a few veggies, they mostly trigger my gag reflex and I have to force myself to eat them (even as a grown up). I still skip them sometimes to make myself happy. As far as I can tell my physiology has few requirements beyond meat, potatoes and cheese, but I make myself expand my diet for the sake of health.

After I read, “I have yet to meet a vegetable or fruit I refuse to eat,” I immediately thought to myself, “wonder if she actually eats durian?” I still haven’t developed the palate for durian, but that may be due to having the stinky fruit thaw out in the the back of our family station wagon during a summer trip from Canada. Thankfully, my parents took pity on my sister and me and ate it during a pit stop on our way back home.

I love rhubarb and am looking forward to finding it at our Farmer’s Market soon. My mom once mistook swiss chard for rhubarb. The resulting dish was rather interesting.

i loved vegetables as a kid and so did my little brother. i have this fortune from a fortune cookie that i keep in my wallet, it says: eat your vegetable so you can grow strong like popeye.
seriously it is awesome and it really says vegetable in the singular form. best fortune e-var!

and…yum…i love rhubarb. i made a strawberry-rhubarb pie for easter and the top was definitely crustic.

Growing up we had a big patch of rhubarb, which my great grandmother called ‘pie plant’. As the name suggests, it was often used for making pies … and crisps, and breads etc. I love it tremendously and seeing your pretty loaves reminds me that it’s been awhile since I’ve made anything with it. Just the thought of it brings back good memories :-)

Yup, and the rhubarb would probably hold up being in the batter more than mushy strawberries :) I’ve never cooked with rhubarb, as they are *very* rare and when I do see them once in a blue moon, I get flustered and forget what I wanted to make with them. Sigh. I ought to just remember these beautiful loaves :)

I’ve always loved vegetables, though my parents didn’t think I did as a kid. I certainly don’t know what people talk about when they say that broccoli/cauliflower is nasty, spinach is too bitter, cabbage stinks, etc. I love ’em all. But bitter melon is a bit too much for me. It’s like punishment for the tongue!

Jen, rhubarb is pretty hard to find here – and when available, they cost an arm and a leg. :(
These loaves are just adorable – and totally crustic. :D

I grew up loving veggies and salads – my mom never mystified food for me. I remember asking for something to eat between meals and she would give me chopped tomatoes sprinkled with just a bit of salt or raw carrot thin sticks.

I have never eaten rhubarb yet in my life (and that makes a bit more than 24 years damnit) but never actually found it very appealing. Well, that post may have changed this around for me and I’m even considering making the recipe…. very well done !

I finally baked something with rhubarb last year for Tuesdays with Dorie. Unfortunately, I still didn’t love it, but I was proud of myself for trying. Had I grown up loving veggies like you (I wish) then I would probably be braver now. Sadly, veggies areound our house were usually a lot like you cafeteria description. I’ve found that now I am the cook there are a ton more veggies that I like though, so it is an improvement for sure.

BTW, your comment about couples that do everything together made me laugh out loud! Thanks for that!

I had just finished making a rhubarb fool with some leftover poached rhubard when I saw your delectable looking “crustic” baby loaf. Still have a few stalks…so I will give it a try. Again, you a glorious photographer/cook!

Another inspiration from Yu! I’m in the rhubarb reminds me of my youth crowd. I wax nostalgia everytime I see it and cook with it. I just wish ours would grow better in the garden, or else at least not get destroyed by the crazy white animal we have living with us. Hey, you talkin’ about us “couples that do everything together” I get the message, I’ll give you two your girl time! Love ya, Jen. Todd.

if you love vegetables and are in the boston area check out russo’s, they have an amazing selection

try the many varieties of asian leafy vegetables. don’t be afraid if you cannot pronounce the names. just wash, rough chop and saute on medium (covered and stirring occasionally until fully wilted) with a bit of canola and sesame oils, salt and pepper – yum !

Gorgeous! I grew up on rhubarb is crumbles and crisps, but never a quick bread. I’ll have to try this. As for me I love veggies, but am not the hugest fruit person. Bass-ackwards I know.

About the leaves (you’ll appreciate this being a dog lover), when I lived in PA we had this HUGE mature rhubarb plant (it was there when we moved in). My mom was SO excited for it–and we uprooted it. It was in the dog yard, plus I had kids and just could not deal with the stress from the leaves. I am not sure my mom has ever forgiven me for killing that plant…

I bought some rhubarb to mix with strawberries (it really is a great combination) for crepe filling recently, but then I completely forgot to add the rhubarb. So, I made these muffins instead. I made quite a few tweaks to the recipe, but the only major one was substituting low-fat plain yogurt for the sour cream, which I didn’t have. The texture of the resulting muffins was pretty much perfect – fluffy but firm – and since the yogurt is so much healthier than sour cream, I think I’ll stick with this change. I’m sure I’ll make these muffins at least once each spring, because it’s such a simple way to showcase rhubarb.

Tara – nice! I hope he likes this recipe too. I love it when guys like fruits and veggies :)

Lisa – hey, good idea! Does it freeze well? I’ll try that. It’s still early here for rhubarb.

Rosa – thanks, I think I’m falling in love with rhubarb.

Rose – you’re welcome!

Amy – I’ve seen pictures of the plants and they are awesome! I’d love to have one of those around my garden… wait, I’d love to just HAVE a garden :( I hope you plant a bunch and take lots of pics.

Pearl – thanks!

Whitney – me too. I need to get TO the farmer’s market first though.

Adrienne, too – I’m sure it will be making an appearance soon. Wow, thanks! I don’t even know if my high-altitude tips work ;) I mean, it’s basically an issue of trying not to tank everything I make up here.

Christina – yay! now you know :)

Chiot’s Run – nice, I’m always happy to hear that others are gardening. I have yet to figure it out here, but one day… Although I don’t think my climate is friendly to rhubarb.

Collette – I can’t even remember what it tastes like with strawberries, but I know I like it plenty on its own :)

Tartelette – I didn’t know you could make jam with rhubarb. I hope you’ll post a recipe! Very curious now.

Barbara – wow! That sounds fabulous.

Dawn – :)

Lisa – That is so cool how people did that. I’ve never had it that way. Mmmm.

Diane – I’m impressed that durian ranks higher than rhubarb ;)

Jenny – ooh, ginger?! Nice.

Bri – well, I guess that’s a good thing for the bunnies, eh? ha ha. So cute.

Caitlin – good for you! I’m happy to hear it. I wish more folks grew up like you did.

Twila M – You guys keeps talking about doing this, I never knew you could! That sounds so great.

Macie – it’s cool stuff!

Rupa – you’re very sweet and thank you for commenting :) It’s not so bad after all, eh? :)

Mrs. E – sorry, sweetie! One day you will have to visit the US and explore all of these treats (but really, I’d rather visit Asia and expore all of THOSE treats!) I think I found these tins at our local gourmet store. I didn’t even think about rounded corners.

Karen B – Awww. Grandmas are so special. I’m glad you have GOOD memories. I hope you make some more.

Teri – thanks!

Maja – cool name, I love it! Compotes? I’ll have to try that too.

TheKitchenWitch – I don’t know where I come up with these dopey words. Silliness. Harlot Scarlet cousin?! That is great! Love that name. I think I just wanted to find out what the rhubarb tasted like on its own as I already know I love strawberries :)

Aran – it’s lovely, isn’t it?! Thanks for the nudge!

Eileen – yes, frankness is a word and thanks so much ;) You’re very sweet.

Kristin – Yeah, hopefully you can find some at a market so you can indulge yourself from time to time :)

Jenny – oh, I am envious. Sounds awesome :) And yes, you are correct, you have to eat like 25 kg or something to get the toxic levels. hee hee

Debbie – glad I’m not the only newbie to rhubarb!

JessW – yay crustic!

Andrea – mmm, that sounds like a lovely recipe. I need to bake with more whole wheat.

Asianmommy – good for you, lady! I think I’m more open-minded about vegetables now as an adult, but… I really did like most of them as a kid.

Tracy – I’ll have to give pie a try. I’m not a big pie person. I should be. Wow, I can’t believe you don’t like veggies! Even something like carrot sticks? I love noshing on those (or cucumbers or jicama…)

Leah – durian is an outlier, I mean, it’s on the fringe of what I’ll eat. Wow, I wonder what your mom made with the Swiss chard?

Gretchen – great idea! I LOVE crisps. Will have to try that too.

Liz – yum!

Mollie – sour cream makes batters soooo nice.

Andy – wow, I am *impressed*

Cindy – that’s a great fortune. I especially love the ones with choice Chinglish. Mmmm!

Allen – nice, and awesome memories. I love the name “pie plant”. Thanks for sharing.

Manggy – I used to get rhubarb confusion too. It’s so pretty in the markets, but what to make? I learned from the dude at the store that they will last forever (almost). Bitter melon makes me wince when I eat it.

Patricia – ooooh :( Thanks! Your mom did the right thing. My mom used to cut up veggies for me to snack on at home after school. I think parents have a huge influence on kids’ eating habits.

Kirsa – thanks! I hope you like it.

Holly – Well, I have to give you lots of credit for trying and it sounds like you are doing the right thing – cooking them to your liking. Yay!! :)

Foodarts – a rhubarb fool? You guys are making such great stuff with rhubarb! Now you’re giving me tons of ideas. Thanks :)

WoRC – dude, you have rhubarb too?! *sigh* I’m moving in… That Sierra, she’s sooooo funny. You and D don’t fall into that category, hon. I love the healthy and awesome relationship that you guys have. XXOO

Derf – thanks!

Laura – hey, at least you like veggies! That’s better than a lot of folks. Oh man, I’ll bet she was sad. But you’re right – especially with dogs (they will get into and eat anything).

what a delicious recipe. I made muffins for a neighbor who called 911 after a drunk driver hit both cars parked in front of my house. they caught the guy, thanks to the neighbor. I ended up getting 24 muffins out of a single batch, which was just perfect. thanks for sharing this and other recipes/photos etc. what a wonderful labor of love.

I got rhubarb in my CSA box this morning AND the oven repairman came – what a lucky day! I’ve never cooked with rhubarb before, so I tried this recipe and it got four thumbs up from this family! It was dessert tonight, but will make a wonderful breakfast tomorrow. It *almost* looked as pretty as yours. Thank you!

[…] rhubarb muffins almost 5 years ago (wow), and I only know that because I noticed my old comment on Jen’s post where I originally found this recipe, and I wrote just that a long time ago. I do definitely […]